Padlock picking guard and driver spacer



April 14, 1970 I ARMSTRONG 3,505,837

PADLOC K PICKING GUARD AND DRIVER SPACER Filed Oct. 2, 1968 4s INVENTOR.

R/cHpeo L,'HI2MS17QOUC United States Patent 3,505,837 PADLOCK PICKING GUARD AND DRIVER SPACER Richard L. Armstrong, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., assrgnor to Norris Industries, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 764,501 Int. Cl. Eb 67/24, 63/00 US. C]. 70-38 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A padlock wherein a key is inserted from the end opposite the shackle, there being a tailpiece on the keyactuated plug having projections for shifting opposite split elements of a blocker in opposite directions to lock and unlock the shackle, and in which there is a disc having holes in it to fit over the projections to keep them at a precise diametrical distance from each other and also to prevent the padlock from being picked by an unauthorized instrument inserted through the keyhole.

Although the vast majority of padlocks are of a substantially conventional nature offering, because of their design and inexpensive construction, only a limited degree of security, there are also padlocks much more substantially and accurately constructed which are in demand for certain uses. Because the key-operated mechanism of a padlock needs to be somewhat compact, suflicient to fit into a relatively small and compact body, problems have been encountered in building a desirable degree of security into a mechanism which must be confined to the small space allocated to it. Padlocks which have sought to resolve the problem by making use of a larger body have met with objections because of size. Those which have attempted to maintain the desirable small size have been wanting in positive acting dependability at a price which is competitive.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved padlock Which meets the needs heretofore outlined, and which is simple in its construction, secure in its performance, and competitively priced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a newv and improved padlock wherein a blocker employed to lock a shackle and driver pins employed to manipulate the blocker have been so designed as to preserve substantially conventional proportions and construction and wherein the operating parts have been specially designed so as to operate in a small space.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved padlock wherein driving pins which might tend to shift in position because of the specially compact construction are anchored in properly spaced position by a simple confining member and wherein'also the confining member serves to bar access to the interior of the padlock by use of an unauthorized tool inserted in the keyway, thereby to prevent picking the lock.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved padlock which is manipulated by a two-pin drive at the end of a cylinder-type key-actuated device wherein full advantage can be taken of a cylinder-type keyactuated mechanism of conventional size by a special construction of the tailpiece and two-pin drive and in which there is a guard plate to prevent picking the lock.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out 3,505,837 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device partially broken away showing the shackle in locked position.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 1 showing the shackle in release position.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 66 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of interior operating parts.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown a padlock having a body 10 and a shackle 11 which is operated by means of a key 12 when inserted in a key-actuated mechanism in the form of a cylinder lock 13. The cylinder lock 13 extends into a bore 14 in the body 10 and is provided with a tailpiece 15 from which extend two projections 16 and 17 which are made use of in manipulating a blocker assembly 18. FIG- URE 8 is advantageous in showing the relationship.

The shackle 11 has one long leg 20 and one short leg 21. To receive the long leg 20, there is an opening 22 in the body 10 on the right side, as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2, and for receiving the short leg 21, there is a second opening 23. Extending transversely between the opening 22 and 23 is a recess 24. A head 25 on the inside end of the long leg 20 confines a coil spring 26 which tends normally to urge the shackle 11 outwardly to the open position of FIG- URE 2.

For locking and unlocking the shackle 11, the blocker assembly 18 is provided with parts 27 and 28 which shift endwise with respect to each other. They are normally urged to extended or locked position by springs 29. A bevel 30 on the part 28 permits the shackle 11 to be snapped to locked position. When the shackle 11 is in locked position, a shoulder 31 on the part 28 overlies a shoulder 32 at the lower end of the short leg 21 formed by a cut 33. The long leg 20 is also locked by the extension of a shoulder 34 on the part 28 to a position overlying a shoulder 35 formed by a cut 36 in the long leg 20. When the shackle 11 is extended to unlocked position as shown in FIGURE 2, extension of the adjacent end of the part 28 into an annular recess 42 on the long leg 20 prevents the shackle 11 from being withdrawn from the body 10 and also permits it to swivel freely.

The projections 16 "and 17 heretofore made reference to are in fact relatively long pins having cylindrical portions 37 and 38, respectively, which are inserted into a body portion or plug 39 of the cylinder lock 13. At the outer ends of the projections 16 and 17 are driver pins 40 and 41 which are appreciably smaller in diameter than the cylindrical portions 37 and 38 and have their respective axes eccentric with respect to the axes of the corresponding cylindrical portions 37 and 38. Constructed in this way, the distance diametrically center to center of the driver pins 40 and 41 is less than the diametrical distance center to center of the cylindrical portions 37, 38. This is needful in making the device as compact as is necessary so that the radius of rotation of the driver pins 40 and 41 is such that they can be confined within the dimensions of the transverse recess 24. A cutout 27' in the part 27 provides a shoulder on the part against which the driving pin 40 acts and a similar cutout 28' in the part 28 provides a shoulder for the driving pin 41.

Since, however, the driver pins 40 and 41 are eccentric with respect to the cylindrical portions 37 and 38, they may tend to rotate out of position. In order to preserve ther spacing, there is provided a disc 43 which is relatively flat and is provided with holes 44 and 45 for reception of their respective driver pins 40 and 41. The disc 43 serves additionally as a means of closing the inside end of a keyway 46 of the cylinder lock 13, the disc 43 being confined between the adjacent end of the tailpiece and the side walls of the parts 27 and 28 of the blocker assembly 18, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

In operation, and assuming the padlock to be locked initially as shown in FIGURE 1, the padlock is unlocked by rotation of the key 12. When the key 12 is rotated, the plug 39 is rotated, rotating the tailpiece 15 which rotates the driver pins 40 and 41 clockwise, as viewed in FIGURES 4 and 5. As the driver pin 40 rotates, it shifts the part 27 in a direction from left to right, as viewed in FIGURES 1, 2, 4, and 5, withdrawing the shoulder 31 from its position overlying the shoulder 32. At the same time, the driver pin 41 shifts the part 28 in a direction from right to left, as viewed in FIG- URES 1, 2, 4, and 5, whereby to withdraw the shoulder 34 from its position overlying the shoulder 35 until the blocker assembly 18 has the parts in the relationship shown in FIGURES 2 and 5. The shackle 11 is then released and pushed outwardly by action of the spring 26. The part 28 will not, however, be withdrawn so far as to release the long leg inasmuch as the end of the part 28 will remain in the annular recess 42 to prevent complete withdrawal of the long leg. when the padlock is to be locked again, the shackle 11 is pushed from the position of FIGURE 2 to the position of FIGURE 1. A flat 47 permits the long leg 20 to ride past the adjacent end of the part 28 until the end of the short leg 21 strikes the bevel causing retraction of the part 27 and a corresponding rotation of the driver pins and '41, until the shackle 11 is pushed all the way in, whereupon the springs 29 extend the parts 27 and 28 again to the positions of FIGURES 1 and 4. When in the position of FIGURES 1 and 4, the disc 43 completely blocks the inside end of the keyway 46 so that no instrument other than the proper key can be employed to manipulate the parts of the blocker assembly 18 into unlocked position.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be a practical and effective embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A padlock comprising a body having transversely spaced openings at one end, a shackle having long and short legs located one in each opening, said long leg having an endwise shiftable and rotatably mounted connection to the body, said short leg having one position in the respective opening and another position released therefrom and a recess on one side of said short leg, a transverse reces intermediate said openings, a blocker having parts movable longitudinally relative to each other in said recess between blocking and unblocking position, a key plug having a tailpiece rotatably mounted adjacent said recess, and a plurality of diametrically spaced driver pins on said tailpiece in positions of respective potential engagement with said parts of said blocker, at least one of said pins having a cylindrical retention portion in said tailpiece and a projecting portion eccentric with respect to said retention portion, and a spacer means in engagement with projecting portions of said pins fixing the diametric distance between said projecting portions.

2. A padlock as in claim 1 wherein both of said driver pins have a cylindrical retention portion in said tailpiece and a projecting portion eccentric with respect to said retention portion.

3. A padlock as in claim 1 wherein there is a keyway extending through said key plug and said spacer means comprises a member overlying said keyway whereby to bar access to said blocker by an unauthorized instrument extended through said keyway.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4l9 

